How to Set Up Multiple Echo Devices and Enable Multi-Room Music Playback

By
Eric Griffith17 Jan 2019, 6 a.m.

Yep, you can set up and manage multiple Amazon Echo devices. And even play the same music on them si

You're already the owner of one Alexa device, perhaps an Amazon Echo. Now you've bought a second device, maybe another Echo or the smaller Echo Dot. How do you set up that second device? And a third? A fourth? And how do you best configure and juggle them all?

To make this work, you can tap into the handy Alexa app on your iOS or Android device. You can also access it from the Alexa website, but the process is more convenient if you go mobile.

Here, we'll show you how to set up multiple devices using an iOS device, but the process is similar on Android.

Sync Device with Alexa App

Open the Alexa app and tap Devices on the bottom right. On the next page, tap the plus (+) icon on the top-right, and select Add Device from the pop-up menu.

You will be asked what kind of device you are setting up. Since this is an Amazon Echo, choose this option. However, you can also set up another smart home device, such as a light, plug, or switch.

You will then be asked to select the type of Amazon device you are setting up, such as an Echo Dot, Echo Plus, or Echo Input. Depending on the device you select, the next screen will ask you to confirm which generation Echo device you're setting up.

The app then takes you through the setup process. Make sure your Echo device is plugged in. Wait for its ring to turn orange and then tap Continue in the app. If the ring doesn't turn orange, hold down the action button for six seconds until it does.

Connect Amazon Echo Device to Wi-Fi

The app will tell you to open the Wi-Fi settings screen on your mobile device and select the network name for your Echo device. It should take the form of Amazon-XXX, with the XXX represented by a series of three uppercase letters.

Return to the Alexa app and tap Continue. Select your own Wi-Fi network and wait for your Echo device to connect.

You should then see a screen indicating that your Echo is online and connected to the internet, while Alexa tells you that the device is ready. To make sure Alexa is listening on your new device, ask a question or submit a request. Tap Continue.

Depending on the type of Echo device you added, you may see another setup screen. For example, the setup for an Echo Dot will ask if you want to connect an external speaker. Choose the appropriate option at this screen.

Connect Your Echo Device to a Group

The next screen asks if you want to add your Echo device to a group, which helps you organize multiple gadgets by location or other criteria. If so, choose the group in which you want to place your new device and tap Continue.

Your device is now ready to rumble. Follow the same steps if you need to set up more Echo devices.

Renaming Your Echo Device

As you add more devices of the same type, Alexa gives them sequential names, such as Echo-1, Echo-2. But you can give each device a more descriptive name. To do this, return to the Devices screen in the Alexa app. Tap on the icon for Echo & Alexa and tap on the device you want to rename.

At the settings screen for the device, tap on the Edit Name link under the name of the device. Type the new name for the device and tap Done. Your device is officially renamed.

Give Alexa Some Space

If you're setting up multiple Alexa devices throughout your home, make sure you put them far enough apart so the wrong device doesn't respond when you try to interact with your device. Bluetooth's range is limited, but it can still communicate from one room to the next.

In my case, I have one Echo in our living room, a second Echo in our bedroom, and a third Echo in my office. Those rooms are far enough apart that I can call Alexa, and the right device responds. If the devices are in close proximity, though, you can always change the Wake word to distinguish one from the other. Besides Alexa, other wake words you can use to get your Echo's attention are Amazon, Echo, and Computer.

How to Play Multi-Room Music on Echo Devices

If you have multiple Echo devices, you can play multi-room music so the tunes waft throughout your home. First, create a group to house the Echo devices you want to include in the multi-room playback. Then, just ask Alexa to play music on the group, and the sounds are piped to all the devices in that group.

To add multiple Echo devices to a single group from the Alexa app, tap Devices on the bottom-right. Select the plus (+) icon on the top-right and select add Multi-Room Music Speakers.

Create a custom name for your group or choose one of the common names (Everywhere, Kitchen, Bedroom, etc). Tap Next, and you'll see a list of Alexa devices that are compatible with the Multi-Room Music feature. Select the Echo devices you want to add to this group (an Echo device can belong to only one group). Tap Save. Repeat those steps if you want to create another group.

You're returned to the Devices screen, where you can see your new group. To play music on Echo devices in a group, say: "Alexa play music on [name of group]."

About the Author

Eric narrowly averted a career in food service when he began in tech publishing at Ziff-Davis over 20 years ago. He was on the founding staff of Windows Sources, FamilyPC, and Access Internet Magazine (all defunct, and it's not his fault). He's the author of two novels, BETA TEST ("an unusually lighthearted apocalyptic tale"--Publishers' Weekly) and KALI: THE GHOSTING OF SEPULCHER BAY. He works from his home in Ithaca, NY. See Full Bio